Awards and decorations of the Bangladesh Liberation War were decorations which were bestowed by the major warring parties during the years of the

Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

all issued awards and decorations during the conflict. A listing of the medals bestowed after the Bangladesh War of Liberation are as follows:

Bangladesh

Gallantry awards

A total of 677 participants of the Bangladesh War of Independence received gallantry awards for their service and bravery. Four categories of gallantry awards were created after the war in Bangladesh. These were: * Bir Sreshtho ribbon

Bir Sreshtho The Bir Sreshtho ( bn, বীরশ্রেষ্ঠ; ), is the highest military award of Bangladesh. It was awarded to seven freedom fighters who showed utmost bravery and died in action for their nation. They are considered martyrs. The other ...

The Bir Sreshtho ( bn, বীরশ্রেষ্ঠ) (Valiant of Courage), is the highest military award of

. It was awarded to seven freedom fighters who showed utmost bravery and died in action for their nation. They are considered

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...

s. Recipients All the recipients of this award were killed in action during the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971. The award was published by the

Bangladesh Gazette ''The Bangladesh Gazette'' () is the official gazette of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh published from Dhaka, Bangladesh. History The gazette traces its origin to the ''Dhaka gazette'' which was published on 15 August 1947 ...

on 15 December 1973. It is the highest military award of Bangladesh, similar to the U.S.

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...

or the UK's

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

. It has only been given in 1973 to seven people. Listed below are the people who have received the Bir Srestho medal. They are all considered 'Shaheed' (Martyrs). # Roundel of Bangladesh – Army Aviation

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Mohiuddin Jahangir Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir ( bn, মহিউদ্দীন জাহাঙ্গীর) was a Pakistan Army office who joined the Mukti Bahini during the 1971 Liberation War. He was born on 7 March 1949 in the village of Rahimgonj under Babugo ...

Sepoy ''Sepoy'' () was the Persian-derived designation originally given to a professional Indian infantryman, traditionally armed with a musket, in the armies of the Mughal Empire. In the 18th century, the French East India Company and its ot ...

Hamidur Rahman Hamidur Rahman was born on 2 February 1953 Khardo Khalishpur, Moheshpur, Jhenaidah, Khulna Division, Bangladesh former East BengalHamidur Rahman, BS (2 February 195328 October 1971) was a sepoy in Bangladesh Army during the Bangladesh Libe ...

Mostafa Kamal # Engineroom Artificer Ruhul Amin # Air Force Ensign of Bangladesh

Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers, commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) RAF officer ranks, system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. I ...

Matiur Rahman # Lance Naik

Munshi Abdur Rouf Munshi Abdur Rouf ( bn, মুন্সী আবদুর রউফ; 8 May 1943 – 8 April 1971) was a Lance Nayek in the East Pakistan Rifles during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He enlisted in the East Pakistan Rifles on 8 May 1963, and was ...

# Lance Naik

Nur Mohammad Sheikh Nur Mohammad Sheikh ( bn, নূর মোহাম্মদ শেখ; 26 February 1936 – 5 September 1971) was a Lance Nayek in East Pakistan Rifles during the Liberation War. He was killed in an engagement with the Pakistan Army while provi ...

Bir Uttom ( bn, বীর উত্তম cc''Valiant of Courage'') Recipients *

Bir Bikrom ( bn, বীর বিক্রম ''Valiant hero'') A total of 175 fighters have been awarded on 15 December 1973 for their heroic actions at the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The government of Bangladesh declared the name of the awardees in Bangladesh Gazette on 15 December 1973. * Bir Protik ribbon

Bir Protik ( bn, বীর প্রতীক ''Idol of Courage'') This award was officially declared on 15 December 1973 through Bangladesh Gazette. A total of 426 people have received the award so far, all for their actions during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.

Liberation War medals

Civilian awards

Independence Day Award The Independence Day Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পদক), also termed Independence Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), Swadhinata Padak, and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by t ...

The Independence Day Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পদক), also termed Independence Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), Swadhinata Padak, and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by the government of

. Introduced in 1977, this award is bestowed upon Bangladeshi citizens or organisations in recognition of substantial contribution to one of many fields, including the War of Liberation, the language movement, education, literature, journalism, public service, science and technology, medical science, social science, song, games and sports, fine arts, rural development, and other areas. * Noribbon

Bangladesh Freedom Honour -( bn, বাংলাদেশ স্বাধীনতা সম্মাননা ''Bānglādēśa sbādhīnatā sam'mānanā''); posthumously conferred on former Indian prime minister

Indira Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (; ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and a central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was elected as third prime minister of India in 1966 and was al ...

. *

Bangladesh Liberation War Honour -( bn, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ সম্মাননা ''Bānglādēśa muktiyud'dha sam'mānanā''); conferred to heads of states and heads of governments: # King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck # President

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 20 ...

# President

Pranab Mukherjee Dr. Pranab Mukherjee (11 December 193531 August 2020) was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the 13th president of India from 2012 until 2017. In a political career spanning five decades, Mukherjee was a senior leader in the Indi ...

# Prime Minister

Inder Kumar Gujral Inder Kumar Gujral (4 December 1919 – 30 November 2012) was an Indian diplomat, politician and freedom activist who served as the 12th prime minister of India from April 1997 to March 1998. Born in Punjab, he was influenced by nationalist ...

. # Prime Minister

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee (; 25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months fr ...

# President

Ram Baran Yadav Ram Baran Yadav ( mai, डा. राम वरण यादव) is a Nepali politician and physician who served as the first president of Nepal from 23 July 2008 to 29 October 2015, following the declaration of a republic in 2008. Previously he ...

# Prime Minister/ Acting Head of state Girija Prasad Koirala # Prime Minister

Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala ( ne, विश्वेश्वरप्रसाद कोइराला; 8 September 1914 – 21 July 1982), (Nepali: 1971 B.S. Bhadra 24 - 2039 B.S Shrawan 6)better known as B. P. Koirala ( ne, बीपी ...

Friends of freedom honoured
Wednesday, 28 March 2012, ''The Daily Star'' # General Secretary Leonid IIyich Brezhnev # President Nikolai Viktorovich Podgorny # Prime Minister Alexei Nikolaevich Kosygin # Prime Minister Sir Edward Richard George Heath # President Marshal

Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his death ...

Friends of Liberation War Honour -( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ মৈত্রী সম্মাননা ''Muktiyud'dha maitrī sam'mānanā''); conferred to individuals, six organisations and Mitra Bahini. The individuals include 257 Indians, 88 Americans, 41 Pakistanis, 39 Britons, nine Russians, 18 Nepalese, 16 French and 18 Japanese. Three ceremonies were held between March 2012 and October 2012.

India

Param Vir Chakra Recipients of the Param Vir Chakra: * Maha Vir Chakra ribbon

Maha Vir Chakra Recipients * Vir Chakra ribbon bar

Vir Chakra Vir Chakra (pronunciation: ʋ iː ɾ a tʃ a kɾa) is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on the battlefield and is third in precedence in wartime gallantry awards a ...

Recipients , - , 13 , 2/LT , David A Devadasan , Indian Army - 1 MAHAR , Battle of Harar Kalan , 10/11 December 1971

Pakistan

Nishan-i-Haider Nishan-e-Haider (NH; ), is the highest military gallantry award of Pakistan. The Nishan-e-Haider is awarded posthumously and only to members of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It recognises the highest acts of extraordinary bravery in the face of ...

Recipients of the Nishan-E-Haider: # Major

Muhammad Akram Major Muhammad Akram (; 4 April 1938 – 5 December 1971) was a military officer in the Pakistan Army who was cited with the Nishan-e-Haider posthumously after the military confrontation took place in railway station in Hilli, East-Pakist ...

(posthumously) #

Pilot Officer Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countri ...

Rashid Minhas Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas ( ur, ) was a Pakistani pilot in the Pakistan Air Force. Minhas was the only PAF officer to receive the highest valour award, the Nishan-e-Haider. He was also the youngest person and the shortest-serving officer to ...

(posthumously) # Major Shabbir Sharif (posthumously) # Sarwar Muhammad Hussain (posthumously) # Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz (posthumously)

References

{{Bangladesh Liberation War Bangladesh and the Commonwealth of Nations India and the Commonwealth of Nations Pakistan and the Commonwealth of Nations Military awards and decorations of Bangladesh Military awards and decorations of India Military awards and decorations of Pakistan Bangladesh Liberation War